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UPCOMING EVENTS!

We are pleased to announce that our Early Childhood Department has received the Musikgarten Exemplary Program award for its fourth consecutive year!

Musikgarten Teacher Training
July 12-17

This training specializes in training teachers in music and movement for young children from birth to age nine.

It helps teachers develop an understanding of how children learn music through our extensive in-person training sessions.

Gives you the ability to show parents the amazing benefits children gain by taking part in our music and movement program encompassing musical, physical, emotional , social and cognitive growth.

Call Apple Tree Arts (508)839-4286 or Musikgarten 1-800-216-6864 for more information

We welcome these faculty, new to Apple Tree Arts in the past year!

Judith Allardice – Theater arts teacher. Judith has been involved with church music for 25 years, having served since 1993 as director of music at St. Anna Parish in Leominster. There she was responsible for all liturgical music, as well as parish music productions. For seven years, she was also the music teacher for St. Anna School, where she created and directed two all-school productions each year. Her daughter, Catherine Flayhan, is also an Apple Tree Arts faculty member.

Laurie Baker – Early childhood music teacher. Laurie has taught private piano lessons since 1995 and has owned and operated GraceNotes, a noted early childhood music program located in Whitinsville since 1999. She has also been a middle school chorus teacher at the Whitinsville Christian School , as well as the Gr. 1-8 music teacher at Assumption School in Millbury for the past year. She has co-directed and accompanied K-5 children’s choirs, as well as teaching at a special needs school, for children with autism and Down’s Syndrome. She is certified in the MusikGarten curriculum, and is working on her ECMMA certification.

Chris Carter – Guitar teacher. Chris is a new member of the Apple Tree Arts faculty, and comes to us with over 10 years experience in teaching private guitar lessons and beginner group guitar classes.

Ed Clough – Trombone, Baritone, Tuba, Trumpet, French Horn teacher. Ed is currently completing his Bachelors Degree in Music Performance from Boston University. He is an expert in brass quintet and chamber music having founded a professional touring brass quintet called Boston Brass that--until 2006--
performed for 20 years and traveled to 49 states, Europe and the Far East. Ed currently teaches and performs as a freelance trombonist with orchestras, pit orchestras and jazz bands throughout Massachusetts. Ed also teaches piano and plays piano and trombone in a Rhythm and Blues Band.

Catherine Flayhan – Theater arts teacher. By day, Catherine is a “wild-mannered” preschool teacher for Douglas Public Schools. By night, she is one of the new theater directors in the Apple Tree Arts family. She enjoys bringing new levels of set, costume, and make-up design to our productions.

Tim Gruntman – Guitar teacher. A new faculty member this year, Tim is currently a student at Berklee College of Music, with a dual major of Performance and Music Production, and Engineering, expected graduation in Spring 2009. Tim has taught private guitar lessons for 10 years, and has performed extensively throughout the area, as well as in Indiana, in jazz, rock, and blues bands.

Etleva Hima – Violin teacher. Etleva has just joined our Apple Tree Arts faculty this year. She has played the violin since age 5, and is passionate about teaching and performing. She performs with Opera Boston, Vermont Symphony Orchestra, Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra, and other symphonies and festivals in the area.

Beth Hodgeman – Early childhood music teacher. Beth is one of the newest additions to the Apple Tree Arts family of early childhood music teachers. Her previous experience includes two years as assistant preschool teacher and one year as early childhood music teacher for Grace Notes in Whitinsville, where she was described as fun and full of energy.

Kathy Garner – Flute teacher and adult flute choir director. Kathy has performed extensively with symphonies all over New England. She has taught privately throughout the area and was on the faculty of St. Paul's School and Bowdoin College, as well as teaching in Vienna, Austria and southern France for twelve years while doing missionary work there.

Mario Portev – Piano, cello teacher. Mario joined the Apple Tree Arts faculty this summer. He currently teaches music in the Princeton public school system, as well as private piano and cello at M. Steinert’s and Sons. He is also a cellist with the Newton Symphony Orchestra, performing all over New England. Mario has taught throughout central Massachusetts, at many different levels, in both piano and cello.